


Travel The World With Me

by Umikarakey



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Amiibo, Boat trip, Condoms?, Keebo knows a lot about romance, M/M, Miu's awesome flirting advice (TM), Pining, Sexual References, a forgotten Shuichi, amamiibo, crude language, finding Rantaro's lost sister, is what he likes to think, mostly because of Miu, slowburn kinda, the other sisters are fine, thirdwheeling, vulgarity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:02:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26859400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Umikarakey/pseuds/Umikarakey
Summary: Rantaro and Shuichi are leaving soon, on a search for Rantaro's lost sister. As the day approached, Rantaro decides to bring Keebo with them. Keebo, who has a heart for Rantaro, tries his best to flirt with the help of professional advice.
Relationships: Amami Rantaro & Saihara Shuichi, Amami Rantaro/K1-B0, Iruma Miu & K1-B0
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	1. Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> AU where they aren't forever trapped in the Ultimate Academy and Shuichi was helping Rantaro look for his sister.

It was a lazy Sunday, and Keebo was sitting in the library alone, studying about early childhood education out of simple curiosity. Usually, he'd be there with Miu, who would have a whole stack of engineering books and the like laid out across the table, a whole mountain of books that constantly threatened to topple over. On days like that, Keebo would just read one of the books she piled up. But today, he was alone, Miu had to stay at home to babysit her niece, or something like that, so he was free to choose whatever he wanted to read. This time, the table was clear and Keebo could actually look around the library while reading instead of his vision being obstructed by a valley of books. It was pretty nice being here without Miu, a bit more peaceful although he did feel quite lonely. As Keebo was about to set his book down and enjoy the atmosphere, he raised his eyes and nearly had a short-circuit when he saw a mass of bright green hair just casually sitting across from him with a big smile.

“ARGH! R-Rantaro? You scared me!”

“Haha, my bad. Hey, why are you alone? Where's Miu?”

“Miu has to look after her niece. If you have a message, I'll gladly pass it to her for you.”

“No, nothing like that. Actually, Keebo, I came to talk to you.”

“Oh,” he placed his book on the table, slipping a pen between the sheets of paper to mark the page he was reading. Not many people know this, but Keebo was actually head over heels for Rantaro. He may be a robot, but he definitely has complex feelings and preferences. For a long time now—probably since day one, if anything—Keebo has had feelings for Rantaro, and they were really intense feelings. He'd always feel nervous around him, sometimes actually stuttering even though he already formed the proper words in his mind. Such as right now as he was sitting with Rantaro—alone—his fingers couldn't stop anxiously fondling the paperback cover of the book he was reading, his eyes felt like they were locked onto the table, he couldn't even get himself to look Rantaro in the eye. He was so nervous. “H-how can I help you?”

“Next month, Shuichi and I are going on a trip. You mentioned before that you've never left Japan like, ever, so I thought you might enjoy it if you came with us. What do you think?”

“Y-you're going on a trip? Where to?”

“Remember I told you about my lost sister? Shuichi's gonna help me find her, so I have high hopes this time. We can travel while we do that. C'mon, come with us, we'll explore the world together!” his eyes were sparkling. Keebo knew that Rantaro had a passion for travel, he really loved seeing different cultures and architecture, the beautiful scenery, tasting various food, trying new clothes. Sometimes he even buys postcards for Keebo to keep. They were all hung up nicely in his room. But more than his enthusiasm for travel, Keebo knew deep down how much Rantaro missed his little sister and the guilt of not noticing she was with him must've been a burden to him. Every month, he would leave the country to go find her and every time without success. Whenever he returned to Japan, although he was beaming as always, Keebo would notice it. He always did. He could see the sadness and disappointment in his eyes. How upset he must’ve been that after countless journeys over the past few years, he still couldn’t find his sister. So, having the ultimate detective by his side must be a huge assurance for him.

“That sounds like an interesting experience, but I'm not sure I'd be much help, though,” and it was true, at least that's what Keebo thought. Compared to Shuichi and his detective skills, Keebo wouldn't be able to do much. He might just be a burden, too, for all he knows. But Rantaro just laughed it off.

“Keebo, I'm asking you to come with us so you could travel. It's fine if you can't help with anything, just being there with me is more than enough,” he flashed that charming smile of his. Something equivalent to a heart skipping a beat happened in the machinations of Keebo's chest. Just being there for him was enough? Then, he'll be more than happy to stick to his side like glue if he has to.

“Is it really okay if I come?”

“I did invite you, didn’t I? So, what do you think?”

“Next month?”

“Yep. I'll text you the details later if you want.”

“….okay. I'll go with you.”

“Wait, really?” he sounded like he didn’t actually expect Keebo to say yes.

“Yes. But let me confirm with the Professor first, though.”

“Ah, then text me after, okay? I’ll be waiting.”

When he left the library later that evening, Keebo immediately ran to Miu's house and just in time, too because ‘the damn kid is finally gone’, so he could keep her company. She looked really relieved when she saw Keebo and hurriedly dragged him into her room, ranting about how tired she was and how her precious time that could've been used to study telecommunications or programming or literally anything else was wasted on watching over some dumb spoiled brat. When they got to her room, Keebo slid his backpack off and handed her a thick book. It was a book that she couldn’t finish reading a few days ago and she wasn't able to borrow any more books because she borrowed so much at once that she maxed out. Which was why earlier today, Keebo decided to borrow it for her.

“Oh my gosh, Keebo, thank you so much,” she exclaimed in awe, teary eyed, grabbing the book as if it was a slab of gold or something. Then, as she was flipping through the pages, Keebo decided it was a good time to ask her for some much needed advice.

“Miu,” he said and waited a whole minute before Miu to replied with a sharp ‘what?’. “At the library today, Rantaro came to talk to me, and—”

“Whoa, wait what? He came to talk to you? What did he say? Did you finally ask him out?” she nearly threw the book that just seconds ago she was cradling like an infant. Miu was now grabbing Keebo by his shoulders, basically straddling him, with her breasts riding up against his chest. She seemed a little too excited for this, and it wasn't even about her.

“No. Miu, calm down!” She didn’t move away, instead settling herself comfortably, resting her head on top of Keebo. He sighed before continuing, “he asked me to go on a trip with him—”

“A honeymoon? Ahhh~ you're not even married yet and he's already taking you on a honeymoon? Ohhhh,” she was making questionable sounds and lewd expressions, wiggling like an earthworm. Keebo suppressed the urge to push her off and just go home.

“—with him and Shuichi. We're going to find his lost sister.”

“Oh... But I’m sure you’re gonna have a _lot_ of intimate time with him,” she raised her eyebrows suggestively. “You should make a move.”

“Yeah, that's the idea. I was going to ask you for advice on flirting.”

Bear in mind there weren't many people Keebo could openly ask for help like this, and in his mind, Miu seemed like the perfect person to get tips from since she seemed to know a lot about…Romance? It was more sexual than love, but at least it was something, right? Right?

“Then, you came to the right place!” Miu got up, went to her dresser “and... Booyah!” she tossed a small box into Keebo's lap. It was still wrapped in plastic, brand new. “When Shuichi's gone, whip this out and have a quick one, you'll _absolutely_ bond over that... ahhhhahh~” out of nowhere Miu started moaning and touching herself suggestively. Keebo chose to ignore her usual antics and observe the box she gave him. The word ‘sensual’ was printed in large font on each sides of the box. Hold on...

“Um, Miu. Are you sure this is necessary?” he picked up the box and tried to give it back to her.

“Duh-doy! Why else would I give it to you?”

“I can't help but think I might not need this, though.”

“That's what they all say, then **boom!** Teen pregnancies everywhere. STDs knockin' up your door. ”

“I can't get pregnant _or_ STDs, Miu. Really, I don't need this.”

“Shut up, you said you wanted advice, right? If you give him this, he'll understand your feelings for sure. Then he'll definitely know how serious you are about him, trust me!”

“….really? He'll understand if I give him this... _condom?_ Are you sure, Miu?”

“Sure I'm sure. In fact, I'll tell you when the _best_ time to show him is. I'll tell you everything and once I'm done with you, in the blink of an eye, he'll start liking you back for sure!”

“…” Keebo was not at all convinced that just by showing the condom, Rantaro would like him back, but maybe Miu has a few pointers that he could actually get behind, so, “okay.”


	2. Sea Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boat trip begins, but Keebo is afraid the waves would make him lose balance and sink into the ocean. Does it count as being sea sick? Who knows.

A month went by and it was finally time for the trio to leave on their journey. Professor Idabashi was quite reluctant in letting Keebo go so far away without his supervision, but he trusted Keebo and made sure he brought everything he needed to perform maintenance on himself when needed. It was also a good opportunity for Keebo to broaden his horizons. He packed Keebo's charger and some long sleeved shirts that he could switch between even though technically he doesn't need to. He also gave Keebo some allowance in case he wanted to buy something for himself during the trip. He drove Keebo to the harbour where he met with Rantaro and Shuichi. When the professor left, Keebo waved as he watched him drive away, feeling a little strange knowing that for a while, he wouldn't be able to see the professor.

“Keebo,” Rantaro called out, smiling wide. “Let's take a picture before we leave,” he, waving the digital camera in his hand. “Shuichi, you too!” Rantaro said when he noticed the detective trainee was looking away. He came closer shyly and smiled in an awkward manner. “Alright!” Rantaro exclaimed after taking the photo. “I'm really glad I have friends with me this time,” he laughed. Keebo watched him force his laughter. That smile, though he did look relieved to have his friends with him, it wasn't a real smile. His laugh wasn't a real laugh either. What did it take to see his true, genuinely happy smile? What pain must be in his heart that he had to fake his joy? But when Keebo looked into his eyes, though, they held a spark of hope. Keebo really wished they would find his sister this time, that Shuichi would be a huge help.

“I'm really counting on you, Shuichi,” Rantaro muttered with another smile, putting a hand on the other's shoulder. Shuichi just nodded, he didn't look very confident, but he always looked that way. He never believed in himself even though in the end, he always solved the cases he was appointed. That's why, even though there was just a small probability of success, Keebo also had faith in Shuichi's abilities. He made eye contact with Shuichi and gave him a reassuring smile.

“You can solve this mystery, Shuichi. I'm sure,” Keebo encouraged.

“...yeah,” Shuichi murmured. Then, they boarded the boat. It was actually more of a private sailing yacht than a boat. The outside was clean and simple, but the inside was a shocker for Keebo—it was like a small apartment of sorts. Upon entering, they were greeted by a small, simple kitchen with all the utensils you might need to cook a full meal, there was even a small refrigerator there. According to Rantaro, there were two cabins in the yacht: one beside the entrance staircase and the other was at the far end toward the bow. On the other side of the entrance, opposite the kitchen was a toilet and shower. Next to the kitchen were couches on both sides surrounding a foldable coffee table. Apparently, the coffee table can be extended into a dining table, so that was pretty cool. The cabin at the end of the yacht was slightly bigger and was a bit more spacious, so they stored their bags there. They had electricity, too, Rantaro informed, so that Keebo could recharge himself whenever he needed to, although it probably wouldn’t be necessary anytime soon. In short, the yacht was awesome. It's not a surprise since Rantaro came from a rich family. But standing there, Keebo couldn’t help but feel that it might be a little too fancy for him. Once they were all set, Rantaro told his skipper that they should be able to leave soon. And so they started sailing on their way.

At first, Keebo was really excited. He'd never been on a boat before, let alone go anywhere near the ocean, but when he joined Rantaro and Shuichi on deck and watched as land grew further and further away from them, he decided maybe he didn't want to be on sea anymore. He didn't know how it was possible, but it felt like his head was spinning and his stomach was churning even though he didn't have one. He looked at the massive body of water below them, waves dancing against the direction of the boat, the way it hit the bow and created a sort of sharp impact made him feel like he could easily lose balance if he kept standing. He held onto the railing as tightly as he could, as if letting go would cause him to immediately fall into the ocean. He closed his eyes. ‘Try thinking of something else, Keebo,’ he thought as he tried to push away the horrid imagery of sinking in his mind, but the thought of the waves moving viciously as the boat sped through the water, the movement started to once more give him visions of falling off the boat and sinking down to the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again. What if his motherboard stops working and he breaks down amongst the coral reefs before he could find his way back to shore? The thought made him fall to his knees, facing away from the sea. No amount of gripping the handrail would be enough to make him feel any comfort. As he was about to beg for mercy and ask to be sent back home, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” it was Rantaro, kneeling beside him with a concerned look on his face. His voice when he asked that, it was so low and deep and lined with such gentleness and care.. But Keebo couldn't even indulge in his voice because he was so... Afraid of the ocean! How could this be? Was it a survival instinct? Was it just his body telling him that the sea is a dangerous place to be?

“I don't feel so good...” he managed, trying not to look at the ocean surrounding them.

“Keebo, are you, uh, seasick?” Shuichi asked. “Is that even possible?”

Rantaro gave Shuichi a look that Keebo couldn't see before saying, “should we just go back inside?”

Keebo’s body felt heavier than usual, as if it didn't want him to move, as if staying right there was much safer, but maybe going inside would actually make him feel better. He forced himself to get up on his feet. Rantaro put an arm around him and supported him as they walked back inside and then helped him sit on the sofa. They were all quiet for a moment, allowing Keebo to get himself together, before Rantaro asked Keebo in half a whisper, “are you feeling better?”

“A-ah I...um.. Yeah, I feel much better now.”

With walls separating himself from the ocean, Keebo now felt a little more at ease. Being inside, he felt the rocking of the yacht less—it was still there, but not as intense as when he was outside. And now that he was no longer nauseous and sickly from his overwhelming fear of sinking into the ocean, Keebo looked back to how embarrassing it was for Rantaro to have to help him walk—what was he thinking? ‘Oh no, Keebo, that was so lame!’ Now he can't possibly be cool enough for Rantaro to like! Agh, what was he supposed to do now? He has to step up his game and apply the flirting tips he learned as soon as he can, before it’s too late. And by that, he meant before he starts making a fool of himself again. But for now, he sat back into the sofa and tried to clear his mind of the mixture of thoughts flooding into what served as his brain.

“Okay, that's good,” Rantaro sounded genuinely relieved.

“While we're all here,” Shuichi said, sitting on Keebo's other side. “Let's talk about your sister, Rantaro.”

“Yeah, alright.”

“So let's make it clear, how many sisters are we looking for?”

“Ah, actually I should've cleared it up,” Rantaro sat up straight and explained, “turns out the rest of my sisters... They're all living with their other parents, since most of them are my stepsisters. So, I...actually didn't lose them and they're all safe and sound with their own families.. My parents never told me about it until much recently. The only one I lost for real was my youngest sister.”

“Oh, I see…so…we just have to look for _one_ sister?” Shuichi clarified.

“Yes.”

“Um…how does she look like? Can you describe her to me?”

“…I don't know if she still looks the same now, but she used to have light brown curly hair and really big hazel eyes. Her cheeks were super plump. I think if I see her again, I'll recognize her. Also, I did bring a few pictures, they’re in my bag. I’ll show you later.”

“Alright. So, how old was she at the time you lost her?”

“Um…I'd say she was around six years old. But now I think she must be…seven? Maybe eight years old?”

“Okay. So when we get there later, you have to bring us to all the places you went to back then. Do you remember them all? If you forget a few, that's fine, but we should at least be able to backtrack to the places you visited and get some sort of lead.”

“I think I can remember. Probably. Hopefully? It was a while ago, so my memory's a bit hazy,” he giggled nervously.

“Yeah, it's okay.”

“Don't worry, Rantaro, I'm sure you'll remember bit by bit when we get there,” Keebo offered a smile. Rantaro smiled back, but it looked quite strained. While he wasn't sure he'd be any help, Keebo promised to do his best so Rantaro can be reunited with his sister. And maybe then, he'll finally be able to smile for real. But for now, there's really nothing else they could do but enjoy the trip. It was really quiet when none of them were talking, leading Keebo to wonder how lonely Rantaro must've been on these trips alone. Maybe he liked travelling alone, but these trips usually take at least a month, and a whole month on your own with no friend must really take a toll on your mind. Hopefully he felt better with company, plus an actual detective by his side.

The skies grew darker, and night fell. Rantaro and Shuichi sat in the kitchen area, eating together. Keebo wasn't sure at first whether he should join them or not, but after a while he just went for it and sat with them. He couldn't eat, of course, but he enjoyed watching them eat. Specifically Rantaro. The way he picked up his food with his chopsticks, the way he shoved it in his mouth, the way he chewed while still maintaining a hint of a smile, the way he savoured his food. Everything about it just brought satisfaction to him. He noticed every single miniscule movement Rantaro made while he was eating, but what Keebo didn't notice was that he was staring so hard—and very obviously, too.

“Um, Keebo? Is everything alright?” he looked a little confused, but he was still smiling as always.

“Ah—wh-what? I'm okay, everything's fine, what are you talking about?” he spluttered when he realized he must've been stupidly staring at who to him was the prettiest man in the whole wide world. Shuichi just blinked silently then returned his attention to his food without uttering a single word. Rantaro started laughing and then looked at Keebo and said “sure it is,” with a smile that reached his eyes. ‘Why is this man so beautiful?’ Keebo thought exasperatedly as he tried to join his laughter. Then Rantaro went back to eating.

Keebo pursed his lips. Even Rantaro's laugh was so charming. Everything he did was absolutely attractive in every way possible. Oh, how could he possibly survive the month-long trip like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not afraid of the sea, what are you talking about? *sweats
> 
> I don't actually know much about boats lmao. I did a bit of research tho. Also, the thought Rantaro lost like a million sisters is way too absurd so I'm changing that


	3. Hips Don't Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keebo tries to woo Rantaro with his hips. And fails.

It was late at night, very dark, and extremely quiet, the only sounds heard was the rocking of the boat against the waves. Rantaro and Shuichi were sound asleep, both using the separate rooms available in the yacht. Before they went to bed, the three discussed about whether they should just sleep together or use both rooms. In the end, they decided to use separate rooms and Keebo told them he might just stay in the living room area. Rantaro said he could go to his room anytime and lie down or whatever if he wanted so he wouldn't be too lonely, so that's exactly what Keebo did. But he wasn’t lying down or relaxing or anything of the like. He was sitting next to Rantaro’s face, watching him sleep, the soft glow of his eyes allowing him to observe that pretty face up close.

His eyes were moving so fast under his eyelids. Is this the rapid eye movement that he read about some time ago? Wouldn’t that mean he was dreaming? What could he be dreaming of? Maybe he could ask him about it in the morning, since dreams during REM can normally be recalled with most detail. Keebo started to wonder what dreams were like. Were they vivid? Does it feel like reality? Or is it some distorted version of reality? Is it something bizarre or just something normal? Is it really based on imagery formed by the brain or is it based on experiences encountered by the person in question, or is it both? There were so many questions in Keebo's mind as he continued to watch the microexpressions on Rantaro's face as he slept.

‘This is fun,’ he thought, smiling. From this angle, Keebo could see every single detail on his face and truly, he fits the definition of flawless. Ahh he's really pretty! If only he could form a romantic pair bond with him. He frowned a little, thinking how Rantaro might not be interested in someone like him. Keebo looked around the room and spotted his backpack in the corner of the room. Slowly, he tiptoed to his bag, pulled out a small spiral notebook, and flipped it open. He read the first paragraph among the many pages of notes he wrote.

‘Hmm…maybe I should try this one today,’ he thought a little eagerly as he looked up from the note to admire Rantaro's beauty again. His eyelashes were so long, it added more...depth? to his pretty face. From watching him like this, Keebo felt a strange, calming joy. He dumped the notebook back into his bag and returned to Rantaro’s side.

He sat there all night, moving a little here and there whenever Rantaro shifted in bed so he could keep watching him. Was this creepy? Yes, of course, but he did it anyway. Besides, isn’t it normal to want to observe the person you love? Probably not to this extent. Hours went by but Keebo didn’t even realize until Rantaro's alarm went off. Keebo panicked and screeched when the alarm suddenly blared, scaring Rantaro awake. He sat bolt upright, causing a sharp headache due to the sudden motion.

“Ughh...Keebo?” he groaned, eyes still glued together.

“Oh... Um… uh... g-good morning…?”

“…” Rantaro rubbed his eyes and took a good look at Keebo before murmuring a really low “good morning”. Maybe it's because he just woke up, but his voice was even deeper than usual. Keebo felt his face heat up. “Did you come to wake me?” Rantaro asked, yawning.

‘I was here all night watching you,’ was what Keebo shouldn't say and so he kept it to himself. Instead, he just nodded silently, hoping it didn’t make him look too suspicious. Rantaro smiled sleepily as he got out of bed and prepared himself for the day. Keebo left the room and waited patiently on the couch for Shuichi and Rantaro, who both came out of their rooms at about the same time. Then they had breakfast. Meanwhile, Keebo was having an internal conflict on whether he should change his clothes or not. He didn’t need to, but the Professor did pack quite a lot of clothing and he also wanted to try wearing different clothes every other day. In the end, he decided to just change his shirt, so he went into the room Rantaro used overnight and picked out a sweater. That was when he remembered the plan he made this morning. This is a good a time as any, he thought encouragingly. Once he was done changing, he put his hand on the handle of the doorknob, feeling a little nervous. ‘I really hope Miu's right about this’.

He opened the door. Rantaro and Shuichi looked up when he did so. They were still sitting at the kitchen area. Okay, Keebo, you can do this. He wrapped his hands around his hips and put his left foot out, pushing his hip as far out as he could manage and did the same when he shifted to his other leg. He did this continuously, as he tried to arch his back so his chest was raised in quite an awkward angle. As he walked toward the two, he thrusted his hips from side to side as hard as he could, glad that Rantaro was actually watching. His hips were starting to hurt from the sheer amount of force he used to sway them but it didn't matter, strutting is sexy, right?

When he reached the kitchen, Keebo put his elbow on the surface of the counter, rested his temple on his fist, and leaned back as far as he could manage, popping out his hip. Then he flashed a smile. Alright, he did everything right, this should work—

“Keebo, are you okay? Is there something wrong with your joints?” Rantaro asked worriedly. When he heard that, Keebo just froze. Did it look like he had a broken hip? Oh no, did he do something wrong? He did exactly as Miu advised him to. Disheartened, he immediately dropped the act and stood as he normally would.

“Um...” Keebo fidgeted awkwardly. After such an act, he was too embarrassed to face Rantaro.

“…we probably should've brought Miu along, huh. I'm worried if something happens to you...”

“Ah, I don't think that's it,” Shuichi said, trying to help, looking from Keebo to Rantaro.

“Uh…yeah, I'm fine, don't worry! I-it's nothing, really…” Keebo felt so embarrassed that he actually wanted to go out and dive into the ocean, never to be seen again. What was he thinking? That was so embarrassing!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miu: strut and thrust your hips as hard as possible, then lean against the table and make sure to emphasize your hips, this will make him absolutely all over you, I promise!
> 
> Keebo: ...really?
> 
> \--
> 
> i got secondary embarassment writing this.


	4. Docking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio finally reaches their destination after two days at sea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter they'll finally start looking for the sister, but for now please bear with me.

After his miserable attempt at flirting earlier that day, Keebo decided to just keep quiet lest he might do something stupid again. He sat silently as Shuichi and Rantaro talked about their plans for when they arrive at their destination later. When they get there, Keebo will do his utmost best to help with whatever he can, but for now he'll just keep to himself. Days on the boat felt so long and they've been in the middle of the sea for quite a while although Keebo barely went on deck, spending most of his time indoors, kinda wishing they could get there faster. The day went by without any further event and night fell. Shuichi and Rantaro went to bed after stargazing and Keebo waited for a while until he was sure Rantaro was asleep before sneaking into his room again.

The scene from that morning flashed in his mind and Keebo couldn't help but cover his face in embarrassment. How he wished he had a memory gun or something so Rantaro would forget all about it. As he stepped into the small room, Keebo was greeted by a pair of bright green eyes staring directly at him. Rantaro was wide awake, sitting in the middle of the bed, fully facing the door. Oh no, he was still awake? Keebo had miscalculated.

“…”

“…Keebo, what's wrong?”

“Um...I-I was just...getting my stuff,” he mumbled quickly in a panic.

“Oh, okay then.”

Keebo strode to his bag in the corner and fumbled around, pulling something out randomly then hurried to leave the room.

“…”

“…”

“…an umbrella?”

Keebo jerked in surprise and looked at the dark blue folding umbrella in his hand. Stupid Keebo, out of all the things you could've grabbed, you took out an umbrella?

“Yeah...you know, just in case, hahaha,” he tried to laugh it off as he slowly backed out of the room. Once he leaves the room, he'll feel better. Once he's out of Rantaro's sight, everything will be fine. He just has to get past this freaking door.

“Keebo,” Rantaro called out just as Keebo was about to bolt out of the room. “If you feel lonely, you can climb in here with me,” Rantaro suggested, patting the open space next to him with a really welcoming smile on his face.

“I'm not lonely! I just uh...got bored?” Keebo blurted, not knowing what other excuse to give.

“If you're bored, we can talk. But if you don't want to, it's fine, haha.”

Keebo wanted to distance himself as he was already embarrassed because of 1) this morning and 2) pulling out an umbrella for no apparent reason. What good would sharing a bed with Rantaro be? But before he even realized it, he was already under the blankets next to the man with brightly coloured hair. He was anxious of how tonight would go down, what if Rantaro finds out that he actually didn't come here to get his stuff? What would he say then? Keebo laid straight and stiff like a plank, speechless. If Rantaro asks him what he was doing again, oh this was going to get awkward real fast.

“So what do you think of the trip so far?” was what he asked instead. Well, that sure wasn't the question he was anticipating.

“It's great! I mean, it's not much of a trip yet though is it? But it’s fun being with you two.”

“Is that so? I'm glad,” the room was quiet for a moment and the sound of the waves was actually quite calming for once. “Keebo, I really didn't know you were afraid of the ocean. I'm so sorry.”

Keebo sat up, surprised. That apology came out of nowhere. “It's not your fault, Rantaro! Even I didn't know that the sea is so…nauseating. You don't need to apologize, really!”

Rantaro stared at him, speechless. Then he relaxed and smiled warmly.

“I hope you'll get used to it and then we can go watch the waves together.”

They talked for hours until Rantaro finally succumbed to sleep and this time, Keebo had a really nice view of his face. Being so close to him, Keebo felt a strange calm befall him. It didn't matter if he can form a romantic pair bond with him or not, as long as he gets to stay by his side like this, he was more than happy. Although, all of those tips Miu gave him... Will it really work? One of them most obviously backfired, but there's no telling whether the others would fail as well or not. There's only one way to find out—put the plan into action.

Keebo shifted in the small bed into a more comfortable position and continued to stare at Rantaro's delicately sculpted figure, he truly was a work of art. Watching him sleep was something else entirely; whenever he was awake, Rantaro always had this tense look. It wasn't obvious, especially since he was able to perfectly mask it with his smile, but he definitely looked like he had a lot on his mind and that his thoughts were often eating him bit by bit. Keebo was always worried if one day Rantaro wouldn't be able to smile genuinely anymore, if his overwhelming guilt kept prickling him day after day and along with the frustration of returning from travel every single month without ever succeeding in finding his beloved sister, he might end up losing his mind. But now that he was sleeping, he finally looked relaxed. His thoughts at ease and he could simply go along with whatever dream his mind projected, it was a great escape though not a permanent solution. Will Shuichi truly be able to track down the whereabouts of Rantaro's sister? If he, the ultimate detective, failed…well, Keebo didn't even want to think about that. Over the past few years, there must've been a reason Rantaro was unable to find his sister on his own, maybe he missed some leads? Now there's a bigger chance of discovering her. Even if she was.. Not safe anymore.. At least he'll finally know.

\--

The boat trip felt way too long, as if it was longer than two days, but at long last, shore was before them and boat docked with ease. The amount of relief Keebo felt when he finally set foot on solid ground was unimaginable.

It was dusk when they arrived and the city was brightly lit with colourful lights, it was such a beautiful sight. The three walked through the city, Rantaro said they could get started in the morning, so the three just strolled through the bustling night market where there were so much food, merchandise, and many other interesting things. If this was a date, it would be a pretty cute dating venue, wouldn't it? Keebo glanced down at Rantaro's hand swinging around as he walked. Oh how he wanted to hold that hand firmly throughout the night. It was then that he remembered something Miu told him: ‘ask him a question and whatever he answers, make sure you laugh as hard as possible like it's the funniest thing you've ever heard so he knows you find him interesting. Guys really like to know that they're funny.’

“Rantaro...?” Keebo called out impulsively and the person in question responded with a deep “hm?” Panicking, Keebo quickly thought of something to say. Hurry, anything will do! “Um...w-what time is it?”

Rantaro looked at his wristwatch and said “almost 9. Why?”

“Almost 9? Hahahaha,” Keebo burst out in a fit of (forced) laughter. His sudden laughter caused both Rantaro and Shuichi to pause in surprise. It wasn't funny at all. 9 o'clock is not funny.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh man, am I okay?” he continued to laugh as if the question was some sort of joke. He was starting to feel awkward laughing alone so he stopped and straightened up. “I'm fine, I'm fine,” he said still giggling.

“…I'm glad you're happy?” nobody knew how to respond to Keebo and he of course just made the atmosphere weird and awkward. When they continued to walk, Keebo made sure to lag a little behind them, he was upset that he got too nervous to actually pull off the flirting tactic.

“It's okay, Keebo, you can try again next time,” a sudden voice rang in his ears, it was Shuichi, he was discreetly whispering to Keebo and then gave him an encouraging smile before looking away and talking to Rantaro, “where should we start tomorrow?”

“Oh, tomorrow morning, we can have breakfast at this nice place I know and plus, that was also one of the places I went to back then.”

"......" Keebo, no, don't laugh. Stop it. Stop!

“Okay, we can work from there.”

With that, tomorrow's plans are set and Keebo successfully stopped himself from needlessly laughing at Rantaro's words.


End file.
